London’s biggest ever civic crowdfunding drive

03 November 2016

The most recent and third round of Crowdfunding has raised a staggering £800,000 with over 3,500 backers across London pledging to 19 community projects. This is the biggest crowdfunding drive the capital has ever seen. Gavin McLaughlin from the Mayor's Regeneration team explains more...

Crowdsourcing and crowdfunding platforms are new technology giving citizens a quick and easy way to propose ideas and gain exposure and support for them. The Mayor’s Civic Crowdfunding Programme invites London’s communities to come together and propose ideas to regenerate their local area. In total, the latest civic crowdfunding phase from the Mayor has seen more than £375,000 pledged alongside £225,000 from City Hall. The programme is run in partnership with London-based civic crowdfunding website Spacehive.

We recently celebrated at City Hall with the 19 projects that were successful in Round 3 of the programme. Their amazing ideas range from sculpture workshops to juice academies and teenage street markets. Across London they are showing their local communities how to get things going on the ground with help from City Hall. All of them have galvanised amazing support locally and raised amounts ranging from a few hundred to over £40,000.

Backers joining the Mayor’s crowdfunding campaign have included charities, businesses and local authorities as well as individual Londoners. Pledges have included in-kind contributions such as materials, skills, expertise and staff time to help participating community groups make their projects happen. And you can join this movement by seeing their progress at the Mayor's Spacehive page. Many still need volunteers or plan to do another crowdfunding campaign in future - perhaps with your help?

The Mayor’s Civic Crowdfunding programme has so far pledged more than £800,000 to more than 50 local initiatives, matched by over £1m worth of support from more than 5,500 Londoners. The initiative will continue in 2017 when more money will be available for innovative projects with strong local support. A further £500,000 will be invested in at least 40 community-led projects across the capital. In turn, thousands of Londoners are expected to pledge more than £1m worth of additional crowdfunding, skills and resources.

A free summer sleepover camping mini-festival for local families in the heart of London's Myatt's Fields Park on Sunday 28th/Monday 29th August 2016. The Mayor has pledged £7,500 to a total fundraising target of £18,597

This project is to fit out the workshop to a professional standard and fund a programme of events to encourage increased and sustained engagement by the local community. The Mayor has pledged £7,500 to a total fundraising target of £18,597

A pop-up stall displaying healthy fruit & vegetables at the heart of communities & estates to improve health & well-being by giving access to affordable fresh produce to those needing it most. The Mayor has pledged £17,000 to a total fundraising target of £43,396

A healthy, sustainable fish & chips truck in the heart of the East End, will create pathways into entrepreneurship for young East Londoners. The Mayor has pledged £15,000 to a total fundraising target of £32,051

A community ceramics hub and foundry to upskill communities through material engagement and widen participation in creative learning across all demographics. The Mayor has pledged £20,000 to a total fundraising target of £52,029

Transformation of 60 vacant garages on the Ledbury Estate into spaces for workshops, studios, cooking lessons and cultural activities where people can learn and socialise. The Mayor has pledged £20,000 to a total fundraising target of £55,684

Engaging parents and volunteers from the community to support children at school with growing their own vegetables and selling it on at affordable prices. The Mayor has pledged £3,000 to a total fundraising target of £7,719

The once loved Peckham Lido has been buried underground for almost 30 years. This group now want to bring it back, better than ever, for the whole community to enjoy. The Mayor has pledged £7,500 to a total fundraising target of £64,815

A real food festival for Penge SE20, for local residents and traders to share their recipes and dishes, cooked by local people and businesses using ingredients from local suppliers. The Mayor has pledged £500 and the group has met its total fundraising target of £3,220

Re-landscaping and refurbishing the garden for new visitors, as the Garden is about to reopen after the construction of a new community building. The Mayor has pledged £10,000 to a total fundraising target of £19,518

Healthy juice academy and Root to Market programmes with a pop up market stall, helping the social enterprise to become self sufficient and teaching young participants valuable skills. The Mayor has pledged £10,000 to a total fundraising target of £23,091

A project to share this gem of land with it's surrounding community in the form of a Forest School. Engaging attendees in this natural environment to learn and explore all it has to offer. The Mayor has pledged £11,000 to a total fundraising target of £21,387

The 6 shop fronts look very tired and unattractive to potential shoppers. A makeover will improve their trade and the local street-scene. The Mayor has pledged £20,000 to a total fundraising target of £65,590

A workspace with creche, set in a studio space in Dalston with deskspace and access to a community garden, an innovative solution for artists, freelancers and creative entrepreneurs who are also parents. The Mayor has pledged £6,000 to a total fundraising target of £31,876

A not-for-profit cafe will teach kids to cook and sell affordable healthy meals, with costs funded by a Community Pizzeria also helping to sustain Weavers Adventure Playground. The Mayor has pledged £13,000 to a total fundraising target of £26,282

An innovative model of a community market, locals will access healthy, affordable, good quality food along with a Teenage Market, Student Makers Market and live music stage. The Mayor has pledged £20,000 to a total fundraising target of £81,134

A new community garden on the Becontree Estate. This new social space is part of a locally listed former farmhouse, being renovated for community use and artist residencies. The Mayor has pledged £10,000 to a total fundraising target of £30,207